Five Outfield Sleepers for 2015
Every fantasy player wants to boast that he or she picked up a player in the wee hours of their fantasy drafts who put up a genuine a breakout season. Indian outfielder Michael Brantley and Colorado’s Corey Dickerson were perfect examples from last season. There's nothing more satisfying than picking up a guy in the 20th round of your... Read More
Three Catchers Who Will Outperform Their 2015 ADP: Rankings Analysis
Draft Patience Is A Virtue Catcher is one of the shallowest positions in fantasy baseball which leads to wide varying opinions in regards to preseason rankings. Look no further than Yan Gomes, who ranges from 4th to 15th in our rankings. My personal rankings have a clear tier 1 (Buster Posey, Jonathan Lucroy, Carlos Santana, Devin... Read More
Three Relief Pitchers Who Will Outperform Their 2015 ADP: Rankings Analysis
Reliever Hijinks Last season was my best year of fantasy baseball in the dozen years I've played, as I managed to secure championships in all three of my leagues. This was in spite of the fact that I endured what I'll lightly term as the season from hell as far as closers are concerned. Most... Read More
Five Starting Pitcher Sleepers for 2015
With pitchers having gained the upper hand over batters in recent years, many fantasy baseball owners have adopted a strategy in which they put off drafting the majority of their starting pitchers until the later rounds. On paper it’s a sound strategy. However, every draft has its own rhythm, and as a fantasy owner you... Read More
Three Deeper Pitchers Who Will Outperform Their 2015 ADP: Rankings Analysis
Where Have All The Pitchers Gone? It is widely believed that the enlightened fantasy baseball drafter can find plenty of talent in the later rounds of the draft. So you finish up the outfield, pick up the all-important backup catcher and then - BAM! - where did all the pitchers go? Have no fear. There are... Read More
Three 2B Who Will Outperform Their 2015 ADP: Rankings Analysis
Don’t Splurge On Questionable Results The second base market is shaping to be a minefield in 2015, with numerous options in the middle of the pack and few truly elite players. In such situations it is important to show patience during draft day and wait out the market. Someone in your league is going... Read More
Top Five ERA Surgers for 2015: Fantasy Baseball Predictions
Scour the Pitching Peripherals It’s not a category in your typical fantasy league, but Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) is a useful metric to uncover undervalued assets on draft day. FIP attempts to isolate the factors under a pitcher’s direct control to determine whether he was a victim of poor defense or rotten luck. Intuitively and... Read More
Three Home Run & Power Hitter Surgers for 2015
Home run power is a trait that has become increasingly rare in baseball over the past few years. 2014 showcased the lowest power numbers of the last 20 years, and a further decline is expected in 2015. As flashy home run numbers continue to diminish, those who can truly hit the long ball are becoming... Read More
Four Stolen Base Surgers for 2015 Fantasy Baseball
Draft preparation 101: Billy Hamilton steals bases and Giancarlo Stanton hits home runs. Note: everyone knows that. If you want to win a fantasy baseball championship, you need to dig deeper to discover the unknowns that will either slip in drafts or should be highlighted on your draft day rankings. Luckily, I’m more than happy... Read More
Jason Kipnis: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Sleeper
Jason Kipnis was one of the hottest names in fantasy baseball entering the 2014 season. Consistently ranked among the top three among overall fantasy second basemen, he was expected to contribute for high average, power and speed. Unfortunately, by the time the 2014 season was over Kipnis had disappointed the Cleveland Indians, himself, and many... Read More
Jace Peterson: Fantasy Baseball Second Base/Shortstop Deep Sleeper
Opportunity May Yield A Sneaky Source Of Steals Being a sleeper is all about exceeding expectations, and that’s what I expect from Jace Peterson in 2015. As of right now his ADP I’m pretty sure is nonexistent, so you should be able to snag him with your last pick or as a post-draft acquisition. As of... Read More
MLB Podcast on RotoBaller Radio: Breakout Players Coming Out Of Spring Training
Potential Breakout Pitchers & Hitters For 2015 RotoBaller is very excited about the launch of our very own radio station. You can now find our new shows on BlogTalkRadio live or on demand, and on iTunes under podcasts. Every Wednesday night at 9:30 PM EST, RotoBaller co-founder Real Talk Raph and co-host Anthony Aniano of DraftSmashers Radio will... Read More
Draft Day Tips: Sleepers, Closers and Other Drafting Strategies
It’s officially fantasy baseball season! While everyone shakes the snow off and rejoins their leagues from last year, the countdown until draft day begins. Draft day is easily the most important day of any season, as even the best fantasy baseball players can’t afford to miss their draft. Last season I wrote an... Read More
Cuban Defectors That Will Have Most Fantasy Impact In 2015
Cuba lost some of its top players as they signed blockbuster deals to come over and play in the MLB. Each team hopes their guy follows in the footsteps of last year’s Cuban defector Jose Abreu, who hit 36 home runs, 107 RBI and a .317 batting average, winning the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2014. There... Read More
Eye On The Minors: Top Redraft MLB Pitching Prospects (# 21-30)
Welcome to the third installment of “Top 50 Pitching Prospects for Redraft Leagues.” Last week we looked at 2015 fantasy baseball pitching prospects ranked 41-50 and ranked 31-40. The players on this week’s list, numbers 21-30, are rated for potential and opportunity. If we are talking about redraft leagues, the only value you’ll find is for guys who... Read More
5 AL Players Whose New Teams Will Impact Their Performance
Who Will Be Helped or Hurt by a Change of Scenery? J.A. Happ, Seattle Mariners Let’s be honest: Happ did not post Cy Young-caliber numbers in his most recent campaign. A 4.22 ERA and lackluster 7.6 K/9 IP made Happ one of many problems for the Blue Jays in 2014. That’s exactly why a transition... Read More
Mookie Betts (OF / 2B, BOS) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Rankings Analysis
CURRENT ADP: 121 RANKINGS STATUS: Undervalued ANALYSIS: It is becoming increasingly obvious that Mookie Betts will be the Boston Red Sox Opening Day center fielder and leadoff man. He entered spring training expecting to compete with Cuban sensation Rusney Castillo for the center field job, but Castillo suffered an oblique injury which has prevented him... Read More
Jed Lowrie - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Sleeper
Low Risk, High Reward Key To Success With Jed Lowrie Being a sleeper is all about exceeding expectations, and that’s what I foresee for Jed Lowrie in 2015. After an exceptionally underwhelming 2014, Lowrie is going to fly under the radar in a majority of drafts. I don’t even think he’s going to be drafted in... Read More
Brandon Moss (1B/OF, CLE) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Rankings Analysis
Current ADP: 169 Rankings Status: Undervalued Analysis: In the first half of 2014, Brandon Moss ranked T-5th in the majors with 21 HR and ranked 6th overall with 66 RBI. His numbers fell tremendously in the second half, but it was revealed in September that he was dealing with a hip injury for most of... Read More
First Base Draft Strategy & Tiers: Keys To The Position
First Base Power Outage First Base has historically been a source of home runs and RBI. With perpetual fantasy baseball standouts like Miguel Cabrera, Joey Votto and Prince Fielder having off years and missing time due to injuries, first basemen suffered a major power outage. They hit the lowest number of home runs as a... Read More
Dynasty / Keeper Deeper Dive: Kennys Vargas
A Hidden Gem First base is even more important of a position in dynasty than standard formats. Considering first base is one of the primary positions for offensive output, you want to make sure you're set at the position for years to come. However, if you miss out on the Paul Goldschmidt or Anthony Rizzo... Read More
Carlos Martinez: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper
Baby Pedro Carlos Martinez, aka Baby Pedro, has been a touted by prospect analysts for quite some time. Ranked #31 by Baseball America in 2014, he spent last year in the eighth inning role setting up Trevor Rosenthal. This year, he is getting the chance to compete for the fifth spot in the starting rotation with Marcos Gonzales... Read More
Pitch Framing Metrics: Impact On Fantasy Baseball Pitchers
I’m obsessed with Chuck Shaw wine from Trader Joe's. It’s a $3 bottle of hooch that smells like paint thinner mixed with alcohol. It stings the nostrils. But after a glass or two, it’s the best damn bottle of wine you can get for under $5. I happened to be drinking some of this wine... Read More
The Value of Veterans: A Howie Kendrick Story
Veteran Value What is Howie Kendrick worth? It's hardly the most exciting question, but if you're in the business of winning, it's one you ought to consider. Veteran players like Kendrick offer fantasy owners two things which can be worth their weight in gold during a long season: playing time and stable production. If veterans... Read More
MLB Podcast: Starting Pitcher Sleepers & Value Picks
Preseason Fantasy Baseball Analysis: Starting Pitchers RotoBaller is proud to present a unique new take on fantasy sports. With his tongue firmly placed in his cheek your host, the “Living Legend” Joe Gallina, provides you with a great blend of baseball talk featuring sabermetrics and fantasy analysis. Editor’s Note: Be sure to check out all... Read More
MLB Podcast on RotoBaller Radio: Closers & Catchers To Target Late
Preseason Analysis: Closer & Catcher Draft Strategy RotoBaller is very excited about the launch of our very own radio station. You can now find our new shows on BlogTalkRadio live or on demand, and on iTunes under podcasts. Every Wednesday night at 9:30 PM EST, RotoBaller co-founder Real Talk Raph and co-host Anthony Aniano of DraftSmashers Radio will be... Read More
MLB Podcast: Fantasy Baseball Outfield Rankings & Analysis (Part 2)
Preseason Fantasy Baseball Analysis: The Outfielders Part 2 RotoBaller is proud to present a unique new take on fantasy sports. With his tongue firmly placed in his cheek your host, the “Living Legend” Joe Gallina, provides you with a great blend of baseball talk featuring sabermetrics and fantasy analysis. Editor’s Note: Be sure to check... Read More
Eugenio Suarez: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Deep Sleeper
Suarez Can Help Fantasy Owners Now and in the Future Last season, Eugenio Suarez broke into the big leagues with the Detroit Tigers, who struggled to find a consistent presence at shortstop after losing Jose Iglesias in Spring Training to stress fractures in both shins. When the season started, Alex Gonzalez filled that role,... Read More
Andrew Heaney: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Sleeper
Andrew Heaney had a busy offseason in which he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers from the Miami Marlins only to be traded to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim five hours later. At Anaheim, Heaney will compete for the final spot in the starting rotation with Hector Santiago and Nick Tropeano, according to... Read More
Save Prospecting: Top Five Non-Closing AL Relief Pitchers
Last week I looked at the top five non-closer NL relief pitcher options. Today we take a look at the top AL relief pitchers currently not occupying closer roles. Top Five Non-Closing AL Relievers Wade Davis - RHP, Kansas City Royals If we are talking about American League bullpens, you have to start the... Read More